Framework for standardizing digital health in resource-constrained settings: a case study of Uganda's digital health communication infrastructure

Abstract

Uganda has several digital health interventions, but most are not interoperable, failing the goal of digitizing the healthcare environment. One major reason for this failure is that the implementations are not based on a common set of standards formally agreed upon by the country’s health ministry. Therefore, Uganda and other countries that have fallen behind in standardizing their health systems need to implement and fast-track the formulation of contextual digital health standards. This study followed a design science approach to develop a framework for standardizing the digital health communication infrastructure. The design went through three cycles of design and improvement. Results show that 17 digital health stakeholders in Uganda who evaluated the framework agreed that they are suitable to guide standardization activities in Uganda. This study argues that other countries with digital health challenges similar to those in Uganda can adopt the framework.